View Full Version : Allen Amps Old Flame Kit Project
Brown left my latest project on the doorstep today - an Allen Amps Old Flame (http://www.allenamps.com/old_flame.html) head kit (the chasis, anyway - the cabinets will get here later.) I got the bug to build another amp after finishing the little Mission Amps Scholar kit awhile back, and decided to get another one. No sense in messing around, I thought, so I decided on teh Old Flame. (A few days later, I also ordered a Class Act (http://www.allenamps.com/classact.html) head kit because they looked interesting, and Dave Allen said he only had 2 left, and wasn't going to make anymore.)
But I digress. The Old Flame kit comes with everything you need to make a complete amp. All you need to supply is the time, tools, and basic soldering, assembly and electronic measuring skills. The heavy-gauge chasis is fully punched and ready to add parts to. The instructions look to be straightforward, and a "big picture" color diagram is included. All the parts are good quality, with the tubes being JJ/Tesla and Electro-Harmonix. I opted for the 6V6 version, which makes the amp a 25 watter. The first step is to thouroughly inventory the kit to ensure that everything is there. I learned from the last kit to also note excess parts - it's rather disconcerting to finish assembly and have an extra resistor or capacitor left over!
Here's the first in a series of pics I'll post detailing my progress:
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameParts1_sm.jpg
Budman2k
02-17-2004, 08:36 PM
Looks like fun!! I've been procrastinating about building an amp for too long. I'm leaning toward a Graydon 18 watter.Budman
Not a very exciting update today, but I made some good progress. I completely inventoried all the parts, and separated the resistors and capacitors into an organizer. Each compartment contains a mix of resitors and caps of different values along with a post-it note to make it easy to find them. Hunting for the correct value from a pile of all the resistors during assembly is rather tedious, so this should help. I also cleaned every lead with steel wool and alcohol to help ensure proper soldering joints.
The instructions are really quite good. Each step is clearly explained, and tips are provided to help. The first order of business to to peel off the protective cover of the chassis, then stick on the rear faceplate. It is surprising how labor intensive building an amp is. The simple step just described took quite a few minutes. Next, the switches and jacks go in the back side of the chassis. Nothing difficult here at all. The big, full color diagram makes everything fairly fool-proof. I quit for the night right after removing the protective cover of the front faceplate and waxing it.
Stay tuned for next time, when I'll have the front faceplate installed along with......well, I don't want to spoil it for you.
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly1_sm.jpg
Sorry for the boring pic.
DoobieK
02-19-2004, 02:09 PM
Very Cool. As the owner of a 2x10 first version Old Flame, I am curious to know if you will be putting it in a combo cab, or head version. If head version, what will you use for a speaker cab and speakers.
Keep the updates coming. I am looking forward to seeing your progress.
It's a head unit, and Dave Allen is making me a 2x10 cabinet that will have 2 of his 8 ohm C1060 speakers in it. I plan on wiring them so that one can be turned off, giving me the choice of a 1x10 8 ohm or 2x10 4 ohm cab. The package price with the speakers was pretty good, so I bought those, but I might try some other ones, too. Also, I'm getting an extra front baffle so I can switch the cab to a 1x12. I have a Jensen P12N on order for this.
DoobieK
02-19-2004, 04:08 PM
CM, Very nice. I am very interested in knowing how you like the 2x10 setup once you get it done. My first generation has a smaller cab than the newer combos and while it is clear and brite, doesn't have enough balls or low end. When I plug the amp into my Twin cab with Weber Chicago's it sounds stellar. I am considering seeing if Mr. Allen will make a head cab for me and using a 2x12 closed cab. It's good you are getting the extra baffle to give yourself some more options to try. Very well thought out in advance.
partytrain
02-19-2004, 08:28 PM
This is something I've wanted to do for awhile, but I have absolutley no practical knowledge when it comes to electronics. I've never done any soldering or anything like that. How would I get started?
Phil_B
02-20-2004, 09:48 AM
Brown left my latest project on the doorstep today - an Allen Amps Old Flame (http://www.allenamps.com/old_flame.html) head kit (the chasis, anyway - the cabinets will get here later.)
You are going to have a blast! I built a 4x10 version of it and not only did I have a great time and learned a bunch, but it was my main gigging amp for over a year.
Great stuff.
Look forward to seeng your progress - take lots of photos.
-Phil_B
More progress made, although the amount of work involved is lost in the pictures. I'm still in the physical assembly phase of the project, which simply takes a lot of time. I installed all the switches, jacks, and tube sickets into the chassis last night, along with all the control knobs. I even went the extra anal mile and used my Dremmel tool with the wire wheel to clean all the contacts to help ensure proper solder joints. All of the potentiometers are coated with a light manufacturing grease which needs to be removed from the contacts.
I ran into one glitch in that I was sent a wrong transformer. Instead of a reverb transformer, I got another choke transformer. I emailed Dave before I went to bed, and had a reply first thing this morning. I was also missing the preamp tube shields. He's sending everything via priority mail today. Neither of these abscenses will impede progress. Dave's reputation for good service is upheld as far as I'm concerned.
Here's the pics:
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly2a_sm.jpg
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly2b_sm.jpg
This is something I've wanted to do for awhile, but I have absolutley no practical knowledge when it comes to electronics. I've never done any soldering or anything like that. How would I get started?
Building the kits takes minimal electronics knowledge. You need to be able to correctly identify components, but there are pictures to help. The most electronic activity involved is using a multimeter to measure resistance, voltage, and current. These are not difficult tasks, and the install books tell you what to do. (Caution: electricity can kill you; be sure to follow safe practices.)
In fact, nothing about building the kits is really difficult. If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, you will be able to do all the physical assembly. You do need to be very, very attentive and follow instructions exactly, or bad things could happen. The only real skill required is soldering. Like any skill, it simply needs to be learned, then applied with the proper technique. I learned in the Navy - a week-long class all about soldering & micro miniature repair.
The Allen cabinets come pre-finished, so all you have to do is put the chassis in. Some kits require various degrees of finishing. I'm not at all good with this type work, so I buy finished stuff.
To get started in the electronics kit world, there are a lot of small kits available, such as radios, small robot toys, etc. They typically contain a handful of components, parts and a circuit board. You'd want to start with these, along with a book or video on how to solder. Check out your local electronics store.
If you do decide to get into it, I'd recommend that you buy quality tools and a very good soldering iron, or better yet, a soldering station. Dave Allen has a good blurb about this on his website. (Bottom of page (http://www.allenamps.com/kits.html).)
I took the day off work today, and was able to spend quite a lot of time on the kit. I started the day by putting the power and output transformers on the chassis, and dressing the wires a bit.
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly3a_sm.jpg
I made major progress on the circuit board. This was new territory for me, because I've never dealt with eyelet boards before. I can see why printed circuit boards are desired from a manufacturing standpoint. The point to point boards are very labor intensive. First I put on all the resistors. I found that the organizer helped, but I still spent too much time looking for the proper value resistors. I thought of an idea I'll employ on the next project, which UPS delivered today. Here's the board with all the resistors.
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly3b1_sm.jpg
Next came the capacitors. This phase took quite awhile, because of all the lead bending and positioning that had to be done. Also, some of the leads had to run over to other holes on the underside of the board to tie components together. Very labor intensive. And I had to redo a couple of capacitors because I either ran them to the wrong holes or oriented them the wrong way. It's critical to pay very strict attention at all times. This gets a little difficult after working on it for a long time. The full color detailed diagram is really a great help.
The board with all the caps, ready for the wires that run to all the pots and switches:
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly3c1_sm.jpg
I finished up but cutting all the required lengths of wire that will connect the board to the rest of the amp, and stripping the ends. Tomorrow I'll check the circuit board thoroughly yet again, and then begin soldering.
Jim Collins
02-21-2004, 10:11 AM
You haven't soldered anything, yet? If you are getting the components to stay in place by bending the ends underneath the eyelet board, and clipping them, you might be setting yourself up for some trouble if you have to do some maintenance on the amp. Usually, once all the components that are going to go in one eyelet have been placed there, you solder that eyelet.
You haven't soldered anything, yet? If you are getting the components to stay in place by bending the ends underneath the eyelet board, and clipping them, you might be setting yourself up for some trouble if you have to do some maintenance on the amp. Usually, once all the components that are going to go in one eyelet have been placed there, you solder that eyelet.
That's an interesting point, but I think most of the components can be fairly easily removed, even with the bend-over through the eyelet. More challenging will be the ones where the lead goes down through the eyelet, over to another eyelet and back up. (See the caps on the left side of the picture.) This is what the instructions call for.
Maybe if you do this all the time, soldering each eyelet as it gets populated is doable, but for a casual kit builder, I'm not sure it's practical. I might try it on the Class Act kit I have waiting in the wings, though. Thanks for the input.
Here's the underside of the circuit board with all the components attached, but not soldered:
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly3d1_sm.jpg
Jim Collins
02-21-2004, 11:10 AM
I am a casual builder, but I've also done several mods to each of the amps I've built. The usual procedure, once you've placed all the wires that go underneath the board, is to temporarily screw on the backing board. That way, you can solder as you go. The normal way, and the way in which David's instructions work, is that you work from the center of the board, out.
If you rely too much on bending the leads to hold them to the board, when you want to make a mod, later, you may end up having to snip the component's leads, which means you can't reuse it. (Some mods you try, and learn you liked it better, the first way.)
My guess is that you will want to make mods, later. Not because the designs needs them, but because you had fun building it, and you'll have just as much fun seeing what effect a different cap or resistor will have. David will even suggest mods, to tweak the amp to your liking.
... The usual procedure, once you've placed all the wires that go underneath the board, is to temporarily screw on the backing board. That way, you can solder as you go. The normal way, and the way in which David's instructions work, is that you work from the center of the board, out.
...
The instructions call for installing the jumper wires, then all the resistors, then all the caps, then all the fly wires. Only after everything is in is anything soldered.
I guess the design has been changed, because there is no backing board to hold components in place. That would certainly make a difference. After doing this, I think it would be to difficult and frustrating to do it without some means of holding them in place.
I worked all day and late into the night, making significant progress. I had lofty aspirations of wiring the amp so that it looked truly phenomenal, like you see in some of the boutique amps. Alas, I was able only to wire things up so that it is functional. I tried to be neat and bend all the wires just so, but I could only do so much. It is really time consuming, and you have to know exactly how everything is going to go beforehand. (Maybe the next one...)
Since the last update, I soldered the circuit board, installed the fly wires, and did most of the wiring in the chassis. I deviated from the instructions a bit and inserted the fly wires into the circuit board from the bottom. This allowed me to solder just the wire, and not worry about hitting the insulation with the iron. Also, I’ve gone out of sequence from the instructions, for those of you following along at home.
The chassis with the board installed and most of the wiring done:
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly4a_sm.jpg
Jim Collins
02-22-2004, 10:42 AM
I see. Things have changed since I built mine. On each of mine, there is a backer board, and that sandwich is bolted onto the chassis. The backer board provides the insulation. I see that your board is raised off the chassis significantly.
He's certainly changed things around since I built mine, including the instructions. Forget everything I said. Except my prediction that you'll want to mod the amp. Not because it needs it, but because it is so much fun to tweak things, here and there.
Nice work.
Today I got as far as I can without the missing reverb transformer. I finished the rest of the chassis wiring, which includes some intricate work in some places. Especially the tube heater wires. These are twisted pairs that run from tube to tube, and were the most difficult soldering of the whole kit. I messed up, too, by forgetting that the last tube in line is the regulator, and doesn't get the wires. I cut the run too short, and had to splice. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
Now I'll check every single connection against the diagram to ensure nothing's amiss, and use the multimeter to check the all connections' conductivity. A very tedious but essential step before powering it on.
Here's the amp completely wired (without the reverb transformer):
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly5_sm.jpg
I should note an incredibly useful tool that I bought a few years ago. Anyone contemplating doing an amp kit should buy a Speedy Feeder (http://www.thegranitecorporation.com/speed.htm) solder dispenser. It allows you to feed solder by turning a wheel with your finger, and you can hold it in your mouth for those times when 3 hands are a must. Great tool that I can't imagine being without.
DoobieK
02-24-2004, 04:16 PM
Huh oh! I see a problem... You ordered the amp with chicken head knobs, not cream barrel knobs. Ha, ha.
Looks really nice, CM. I am really looking forward to how you like the amp with different speakers etc. Are you going to use the stock tubes also?
I have to agree with Jim Collins, eventually you will probably try some mods. I tried a bunch and eventually put everything back stock, except the speakers, but it sure was fun and educational trying different things. Keep the updates flowin'
I got the reverb amp in and installed it last night. Then I went through the amp completely again. I checked every single wire, connection, and component. I actually found another questionable solder joint, and one wire broke right off when I tugged on it. I missed these when I did the initial work, and again when I did my first thorough check. Moral of the story is that it doesn't hurt to be extra-sure about everything.
I went back-and-forth about the knobs, and decided on chicken heads to start with. They can always be changed, and I got the barrel knobs on my Class Act.
As for the mods, I see the point, and I may deviate from the assembly instructions on the next amp, but I don't think the future modability will be impacted that much. The assembly process sure will be, though.
I'm waiting on the power tubes now. Dave just got the Tesla/JJ 6V6 tubes in. I also have a set of JJ 12AX7 preamp tubes that I bought for my Carvin. I'll probably use these instead of the Electro-Harmonix that come with the Old Flame. And I ordered a NOS 5U4 regulator for something different to try.
If the tubes get here today, I'll fire the amp up for the first time tonight. Stay tuned...
No power tubes in the mail today, so I decided to replace the spliced wires. They just bothered me too much. Since I had things undone, I re-routed some of the power wires and then dressed and tied things down.
Here's the latest pic:
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly6_sm.jpg
If you want to really look at it, here's (http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlameAssembly6.jpg) the hi-res version. (If you see something that may cause it to blow up, please let me know.)
Ta Da!
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/OldFlame_chassis_top_sm.jpg
I found the output tubes on the front porch this morning and put them in, plugged the amp in and - there's no slow way to turn on a power switch, you just gotta do it - no flames, smoke, or loud popping sounds or blown fuses. So far so good, so next came the standby switch. Click....and again - no bad things happened. Just the warm glow of the tubes as they came to life, making their slight tinkling noise as they warmed to action.
Whew. What a relief. If you recall the last kit I did, (the Mission Amps Scholar), (the thread was lost when the forum crashed) the amp transformer fried when I turned it on. Turns out I had installed the PCB-mounted power tube socket one hole off. It wasn't completely my fault though, because the socket was mislabeled, and the instructions weren't entirely clear, except in retrospect. Anyway, bad things happened when I turned it on the first time, and I had to buy a new transformer, and pay for shipping back to Bruce of Mission Amps. He was great about it, though, and didn't charge me for the repair. And those of you purchasing the kit in the future will get clearer instructions.
So before I turned on the Old Flame, I went through it very thoroughly twice, and followed the pre-turn on instructions very closely. I found a couple of mistakes that I had made, too, so the time spent was well worth it. I should point out that all the mistakes were made because I didn't follow the instructions exactly, didn't look at the diagram closely enough, or just soldered badly. The instructions for the Allen Amp kits are quite good. Still, the first time power-on causes a bit of apprehension.
I briefly gave the amp a try with a couple of guitars, using a Carvin 1x12 cube made for an acoustic amp. I still don't have the head cabinet, so the amp has to sit on the kitchen table. The first thing I noticed was that, without an input, the amp is extremely quiet, making only a mild hissing sound even with the volume cranked. With a guitar plugged in, it has the typical noise. The volume controls are extremely sensitive. I have a Koch Load Box on the way, so I should be able to get better range from the controls, but right now, the range is fairly limited for me. I only want it to be TV-loud, but still sound good. The master volume helps, though.
The other thing I noticed right off was that the amp isn't as clean as my other ones. But it sounds very nice to my ears. The treble, mid, and bass controls, together with a bright switch and the Raw control offer a tremendous range of control over the tone. And this amp has a hefty bottom end to it. I don't have the reverb tank yet, so I can't comment on that. One thing I don't like is that all these controls affect the volume greatly. My Koch Twintone's tone controls don't do this as badly, and I much prefer the way they work.
All in all, I think it will add a good flavor to what I have available for me to play with, and it certainly was fun to put together.
Followup: The reverb on this amp is really a lot of fun to play with. This control of not only how much reverb, but with dwell and tone controls, you can dial in a variety of effects. This is the best reverb I have on any of my amps.
DoobieK
02-29-2004, 06:11 PM
Outstanding CM, How many hours would you say you have into it so far, adding up all the hours of work?
When you say the amp isn't as clean, what do you mean? It is based on a Super Reverb, it should be very clean. Do you just mean you can get more distortion out of it?
I'm looking forward to seeing it in the cab!
Hmmm, I didn't keep track of how many hours I worked on the amp, but I'd say I spent at least 20-30 hours on it, including checking and rework. Maybe more.
As for the tone, I have to retract my previous statement about it not being as clean as my other amps. I played with it a bit more tonight, and was able to get some very nice clean tones out of it. Honestly, there are so many variables I don't see how anyone can make any sort of accurate statement about how an amp sounds. (Actually, I guess they'd be as accurate as desired, considering it's all subjective.) Between the 2 volume controls, the 3 tone controls, the Raw control, the 2 different inputs, and the high/low preamp voltage switch, not to mention the guitar and all the variables there, along with the cab and speaker types, and there are just too many possibilities to cover. Especially for a neophyte in the world of guitar like me. I can say that I like it very much, and am glad I purchased and built it. It is a very nice piece of equipment.
Dave Allen is sending me some 12AT7 tubes to reduce the gain and allow for more control on with the volume pots. I also have a 5751 on order to play with. These should be fun.
The cabs will be here Tuesday, so I'll post the final pics then.
John Hurtt
02-29-2004, 10:10 PM
Hmmm, I didn't keep track of how many hours I worked on the amp, but I'd say I spent at least 20-30 hours on it, including checking and rework. Maybe more.
As for the tone, I have to retract my previous statement about it not being as clean as my other amps. I played with it a bit more tonight, and was able to get some very nice clean tones out of it. Honestly, there are so many variables I don't see how anyone can make any sort of accurate statement about how an amp sounds. (Actually, I guess they'd be as accurate as desired, considering it's all subjective.) Between the 2 volume controls, the 3 tone controls, the Raw control, the 2 different inputs, and the high/low preamp voltage switch, not to mention the guitar and all the variables there, along with the cab and speaker types, and there are just too many possibilities to cover. Especially for a neophyte in the world of guitar like me. I can say that I like it very much, and am glad I purchased and built it. It is a very nice piece of equipment.
Dave Allen is sending me some 12AT7 tubes to reduce the gain and allow for more control on with the volume pots. I also have a 5751 on order to play with. These should be fun.
The cabs will be here Tuesday, so I'll post the final pics then.
This has been a fascinating read, thanks for sharing! I can't wait to see the chassis in the cab!
Ian
Ta Da! (again)
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/OldFlame/oldflameanderson.jpg
Got the cabs today, shown here with my Tom Anderson T Classic for scale. I spent just a few minutes putting the chassis in the head cab, which came with the reverb tank nicely installed in a vinyl bag. The speaker cabinet is sized to the width of the head unit, and currently contains 2 Allen C1060 speakers. I haven't wired them up yet, so haven't heard them - but they look like they're going to sound good. :p (They normally come wired, but I wanted something different, as described in an earlier post, so Dave Allen left the task to me.)
What can one say about black Tolex covered cabinets? They are very nicely made cabinets, and I really like the way they look. I can't find any problems with the fit and finish, save for a bit of foot leveling I had to do. It's nice that they're made from solid pine rather than plywood, too. I think this helps keep the weight down. The speaker cabinet is far more manageable than my Koch 2x12.
So that's it for the pics of this project, unless someone wants to see the backs or insides of the cabs.
I'll post again when I get the new tubes. And look for my next post series: The Class Act Kit. Or maybe I should chronicle the Mission Scholar Amp kit since the thread got wasted when the forum died. Whichever it is, you'll see it right here on BAM.
DanHund
03-03-2004, 08:45 AM
Very nice! Makes me want to break out the old solder iron:)
CrazyChester
03-05-2004, 11:02 AM
Your OF looks great! Excellent workmanship. I built an OF 2X10 Combo a couple years ago. It started out as a 1X12 combo but later changed it to two Allen 1045 Tens. I love the sound of his tens. Big tight Bottom end without ice pick highs. Since I built the OF I've used nothing but it, a Tube Screamer (Mainly for Quick Boost) my McCarty Standard and my McCarty Hollowbody for all of my gigs. The Amp has preformed flawlessly for at least 100 gigs.
I just finished building two Accomplices. One for me and the other for a friend that owns a major cabinet building company. They sound fantastic. It’s like the Deluxe Reverb I've always wanted. I owned a DR Reissue, but for some reason I just couldn't get it to sound the way my friends original DR sounded.
My cabinet building friend programmed his Point to Point machine to cut all of the pieces for the Accomplice Cabs. We assembled them last weekend in a couple hours. We made the cabs out of solid poplar which I have found to be a great tone wood for cabs. This weekend I will hopefully get the time to put some blonde tolex on them. Later this summer I plan to make an Alder cab (another great tone wood) with either Koa or cherry inlays on the top and side panels. It should look great with the exposed finger joints and the two-tone panels.
I hope you get as much pleasure and use out of yours as I have out of mine.
Thanks for the compliments.
I finally got around to wiring the 2x10 cabinet. I ended up not putting a switch to turn one speaker on and off. Since the cabinet is open, I can just disconnect one if I really want to. I insulated the terminal on the wire so that it won't short out if disconnected. It sounds very nice. I like the 2x10 configuration, for sure.
I got the NOS Mullard 12AT7 tubes this past week, and played with them in my little Mission Scholar amp. They have a gain factor of 70, vs. the 100 of 12AX7. They do help increase the amount of volume control, but not a great deal. I also tried them in v1 and v4 of the Old Flame per Dave Allen's suggestion. Again, the amount of control was increased by just a little bit, but nothing dramatic. They sound really nice, though.
I had asked Dave to send me a logo for the 1x12 baffle I bought with the cab, and to my surprise, I found a tube in the package that I hadn't ordered. An ECC82, which I looked up and learned is a replacement for a 12AU7. This tube is a very low gain preamp tube, having a gain factor of only 19. I put it in as v1 in the Old Flame, and it worked like a charm. Now we're talking! I can actual use the volume controls effectively. No more quantum leaps in loudness by turning them only microns. And it sounds great, too. Interestingly, when I tried it in the little Mission Scholar amp, it was not good at all. The amp had no life and very flat tone. I put it back in the Old Flame.
I'm thinking that maybe 12AY7 tubes, with a gain factor of 45 might be worth a try. Too bad there's not a tube library, where you could go check out a tube to see what it's like rather than buying them. I've got quite a little stash going now.
So that's about it for this project. It was a lot of fun, and quite educational. The amp is a high-quality piece of equipment, and will no doubt be around longer than I will. If you’re at all interested in building a kit, I can highly recommend Allen Amps. Top notch parts and instructions, and great service from Dave Allen. I'll be getting another in the future, I'm sure.
One final picture, since this is the Birds And Moons forum;
the Old Flame with my PRS HBII.
http://www.cmwebsite.com/images/oldflamehbii.jpg
Very very cool story. Thanks!!
Scott Peterson
03-19-2004, 11:03 PM
Incredibly cool of you to do this thread; I admire you for it!
I got an 18watt GDS amp kit as a gift and just did not get the time to do it; so it was actually off to Graydon's house to have him do it for me. :D I am so lame.
Kudos and congrats on your killer new rig!!
cminor7b5
02-14-2005, 10:03 PM
CM:
many thanks for taking the time to post your building experiences. I was wondering why you opted for the 25 watt / 6V6 version? What would you think are the advantages/disadvantages of both your choice and the 40 watt /6L6 version.
Thanks
cminor7b5
02-14-2005, 10:16 PM
I was wondering what the differences in volume and tone would be between the Old Flame and an Accomplice. Most of my playing would be at home. The 3 knob reverb of the old Flame appeals to me.
What would the sound differences be between the OF reverb and the Accomplice reverb. When you look at all the specs, size, weight, features the OF seems like a better deal.
Thanks
Wayne N.
CM:
many thanks for taking the time to post your building experiences. I was wondering why you opted for the 25 watt / 6V6 version? What would you think are the advantages/disadvantages of both your choice and the 40 watt /6L6 version.
Thanks
The main reason I chose the lower power is simply because I don't need 40 watts. As it is, I use my Koch Loadbox II to attenuate all of my tube amps to a reasonable volume.
If you want to seriously discuss the merits of 6V6 vs 6L6 amps, I suggest you visit The Gear Page (http://thegearpage.net). Those guys over there are seriously into tone analysis.
bleujazz3
02-14-2005, 10:41 PM
Sorry it took me so long to locate this thread, but I wanted to congratulate you on a job that was well worth the effort.
I'm not anything of a technician or repair person when it comes to amps or guitars, but I admire someone that takes the time to read instructions implicitly in order to build something they can be proud of for having done it.
Can I ask where you got your education to build amps? Are you an engineer, or did you attend a seminar like that of Gerald Weber's?
Many kudos to those who can build, the rest of us just drool.
WaltKH5
02-14-2005, 10:44 PM
What a cool post. I'm really motivated to build my own kit. I think I want to do an 18 watt Marshall:dude:
CrazyChester
02-14-2005, 11:55 PM
I've built 3 Allen amps, one Old Flame and 2 Accomplices. I Like both amps more than any other amp I own (I currently own 11 amps). I prefer the Accomplice because it has a deeper tone. At first I thought it was just the 12 in. speaker over the tens in the Ol Flame. But after connecting the OF to the ACC's cab. and then vise versa, I realized that the two had really different voices. Then I looked more closely at the schematics and noticed the subtle differences in the tone stacks. The Old Flame is closer to a Super Reverb and the Accomplice is like a Deluxe Reverb or a Deluxe Reverb on steroids with 6L6s.
The Kits are very easy to build if you can solder and follow instructions. The instructions are so well writen that you can build one without knowing hardly anything about electronics. David Allen is the best when it comes to customer service and communication. I've been using the two amps for over three years without any problems and I gig a lot so they really get a work out. If you have any worries about quality or tone rest your mind. These amps are made with the very best materials and sound like classic Blackfaced Fenders. The only difference is that Allen amps have far more flexibility.
Steve
Sorry it took me so long to locate this thread, but I wanted to congratulate you on a job that was well worth the effort.
I'm not anything of a technician or repair person when it comes to amps or guitars, but I admire someone that takes the time to read instructions implicitly in order to build something they can be proud of for having done it.
Can I ask where you got your education to build amps? Are you an engineer, or did you attend a seminar like that of Gerald Weber's?
Many kudos to those who can build, the rest of us just drool.
Thanks for the kudos, but about the only true skills required to build these kits is patience, soldering and following instructions. I learned proper soldering and had extensive electronics training years ago in the Navy. I don't remember much of the electronics theory, but I can still wield a soldering iron with adequate effect. (Emphasis on adequate, not truly proper. lol - true MILSPEC soldering takes a great deal of skill and practice. And yes, that's wield, not weld.)
The Allen kits are very well documented, and Dave Allen lives up to his great reputation for customer support. I'd like to build more just for the sake of building them.
Jim Collins
02-15-2005, 09:24 AM
CM, Very nice. I am very interested in knowing how you like the 2x10 setup once you get it done. My first generation has a smaller cab than the newer combos and while it is clear and brite, doesn't have enough balls or low end.
My Old Flame is a 2000 model, which also has the smaller cab. Depending upon the speakers I put in it, it can have all kinds of balls and bottom end, or it can be very compressed, with no cojones. I used to gig with this all time, loaded with two of David's earlier 10" speakers -- the C1045 model. This could cut through any mix, with lots of balls and bottom end. On occasion, I'd add another cabinet, also with two of the C1045s, but I found I never really needed the extra cab, live.
If I put two alnico speakers in it, the amp can become a very compressed beast, nice for slide work with single coil pickups, but it can turn to mud fairly early, with humbuckers. The pair of C1045s, though, could easily, and beautifully, handle humbuckers.
These days, I'm not playing humbuckers, much, so I started experimenting with speakers. The Old Flame now has one Allen C1045 (ceramic) and one Eminence L102 (alnico). The combination is terrific, especially with single coils. The ceramic speaker gives me strong, clean bottom, and the alnico gives me a bit of compression on the top, with a very smooth, top end breakup. This combo does work well with humbuckers, but it really shines with single coils. A Strat or Tele sound fabulous, with no effects (other than the excellent, built-in reverb). Even a Strat bridge pickup, which can sound thin and icepick-like, sounds great.
Have fun with it, and experiment with different speakers. That is half the fun of building.
What a facinating thread, thanks for sharing the trip CM, I loved it!!
Looking forward to your next one already!
San.
Chiba
02-17-2005, 10:28 AM
Great thread - VERY cool pictures as well.
--chiba
I'm bumping this thread so it doesn't disappear.
derek_32999
03-13-2007, 01:07 AM
I dont mean to bump an old thread, but this one is more than deserving. As far as the kits go, I have built several BYOC pedals and modded the hell outta them with no problem. I tried a Mojotone amp kit which was just a wiring diagram and schem. When it got time to hook up the transformers I got scared and put the project in my closet since I didnt really know how to measure all of the voltages and what to do with them.
How do these kits handle these sort of steps in the process?
Thanks for the sweet thread and any help!
Macman
03-13-2007, 02:25 AM
Great job CM. I've been wanting to build a Dumble clone for some time now but just can't get info on them.
Then there was the "show us your Greer Amps" thread that made me start thinging of a low watt head.... Just need a clean amp and no controls.. Now I see THIS!!!!! (resisting reaching out for the iron)
Good going dude... That said, anyone knows good build kits that ship overseas? Don't find them here in Singapore...
:D
CrazyChester
03-13-2007, 08:17 PM
Hi Derek, The Allen kits are so well laidout that you could build one even if you didn't know anything about electronics as long as you can solder. A basic knowledge of component recognition helps but not really necessary. I've built 5 now and have never had one that failed in any way.
derek_32999
03-13-2007, 10:05 PM
Hi Derek, The Allen kits are so well laidout that you could build one even if you didn't know anything about electronics as long as you can solder. A basic knowledge of component recognition helps but not really necessary. I've built 5 now and have never had one that failed in any way.
Thanks, I can solder with the best of em so maybe an old flame kit is in my future. :D
CrazyChester
03-13-2007, 10:47 PM
The Old Flame was the first one I built. Its a great sounding amp. It really does sound like a Super Reverb. Its quite loud but can be easily tamed for small venues. My favorite is still the Accomplice loaded with a JBL and NOS 6L6's. It really makes all of my PRS's sing.
CrazyChester
03-13-2007, 10:52 PM
Derek, I'm sure that after you complete an Allen amp you will feel confident finishing the MOJO kit. David Allen literally talks you through building the amp step by step. He even gives simple tests to try before powering the amp up for the first time.
derek_32999
03-13-2007, 11:23 PM
The Old Flame was the first one I built. Its a great sounding amp. It really does sound like a Super Reverb. Its quite loud but can be easily tamed for small venues. My favorite is still the Accomplice loaded with a JBL and NOS 6L6's. It really makes all of my PRS's sing.
Well, I am mostly a Tele man, and I was caught between an Encore and an Old Flame (I have a 65 BFSR). My super is nearly too loud to play at home, but I figured I could retire the super if I got an Old Flame and used 6V6 at home and 6L6 at gigs (if I can turn it up). :D
I kinda dismissed the Encore since I always heard the Super is what the Vibrolux wishes it was. Though I love the tones Danny G. gets with his heavily modified vibrolux. ;)
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